Discussion What decides if your suicide is mentioned in press/news?

[Nymph]

Do relatives have a say in it? Do they have to allow the news to talk about the suicide? Does it appear in the news only when there's a shocking method used?

 

[WornOutLife]

If there is video and pics footage, I think the victim's family and police have to allow it.
As for just being mentioned on the news, I think they can explain what happened by interviewing the witnesses and there's nothing the family can do. Maybe sue them?

I hope my suicide doesn't end up in the news.

 

[Nymph]

If there is video and pics footage, I think the victim's family and police have to allow it.
As for just being mentioned on the news, I think they can explain what happened by interviewing the witnesses and there's nothing the family can do. Maybe sue them?

I hope my suicide doesn't end up in the news.

By video, do you mean if the person that ctbed recorded themselves or something?

I definitely don't wanna end up in the news. But I don't really see a reason why mention suicides in the news in the first place. I wish there were some clear criteria that decide if it goes in the news or not cause I wanna avoid all of them lol

 

[WornOutLife]

By video, do you mean if the person that ctbed recorded themselves or something?

I definitely don't wanna end up in the news. But I don't really see a reason why mention suicides in the news in the first place. I wish there were some clear criteria that decide if it goes in the news or not cause I wanna avoid all of them lol

Yes, I mean that, or maybe, some person recorded him while calling the police. However, it's really rare that those kind of videos go public. You can only view stuff like that on websites like BESTGORE.

 

[Moon Flower]

I'd imagine only if it's a public figure. Even some celebrities who ctb have it kept a secret out of respect for the families.

 

[Nymph]

I'd imagine only if it's a public figure. Even some celebrities who ctb have it kept a secret out of respect for the families.

I see, thx

 

[sadworld]

Most suicides don't make it to the news and I hope mine doesn't make it either.

Imagine there will be people posting suicide prevention stuff including my name, fuck that lol.

 

[x~Sophia~x]

I think the only reason a person's suicide would be newsworthy is if the person is a celebrity or if the suicide is allegedly the result of negligence by the Police or the community mental health team.

 

[justanotherstar]

It's actually reassuring that the media try not to report suicides due to fear of copycat deaths. Suicide prevention charities advise against news coverage although it does happen. I'm not sure what the criteria is for it though

 

[x~Sophia~x]

Some suicides will be reported on local TV and radio if local services ie., train lines were disrupted for a long period of time, but no name would be mentioned.

 

[Nymph]

It's actually reassuring that the media try not to report suicides due to fear of copycat deaths. Suicide prevention charities advise against news coverage although it does happen. I'm not sure what the criteria is for it though

Oh that makes sense

 

[Panna]

If the perpetrator of a homicide commits suicide afterwards, it will be mentioned as a way to highlight mental illness because it fills a agenda.

 

[JustABunchOfAtoms]

I think these are factors that increase your chances:
- You're famous (garnee)
-you're white,
- you present as female
- you're disabled
- you're young

 

[Greenberg]

If it is committed in a hotel, it is pretty safe that there would be no mention of it in the press so as not to dissuade customers from the business. Plus, they have strict and discreet protocols to handle situations like that. Whereas in a public place (roads, bridges, buildings), anyone can take photos or film you without permission.

 

[paininme]

My partner was put in the news when he committed suicide they took pictures from his social media never informed us it was going in the news then showed up at his inquest for a follow up and printed another story including the method etc

 

[Kat!]

Whether your family wants it to happen or not. Of course local news will be full of these but it takes something big for mainstream.

 

[Snowdrifts1212]

For the most part, media does not report suicides. I work in media. I have gone to report on scenes including a train hitting and killing a pedestrian, and as soon as we received informsriknto show it was a suicide we stopped reporting on it. Depending on the situation, if, say, we'd already reported a body was found in a park or something, we'll just make a very small, low-key update and simply say "foul play is not suspected" or something similar.

The exceptions are if the death was highly public in some way (for instance, a video that went viral); if there is a broader public health relevance (for instance, reporting on a large number of suicides in one small community or suicides linked to lockdown isolation), or if there is something otherwise noteworthy about it that makes it publicly relevant, such as the suicide of a child in care.

In those cases, family consent and participation is certainly valued and may increase the chances a particular suicide is discussed, as well as the personal details involved.

It is not necessary to have family consent to report on a suicide or anything else, but many reporters looking at these angles will generally want to respect the family and their wishes unless there's a truly compelling need that one story needs to be made public. The suicide of a child in state care, for instance, may likely reported by other authorities and watchdogs and by media regardless of whether the family consents.

It is also not necessary to have police consent. Or anyone else. We don't need permission to report things if we believe it's in the public interest, and no families can't sue us for reporting facts; what we do is weigh whether the public interest (and "interest" here means "for the public good," not interest as in clicks) is enough to justify how we report it, and usually there's not enough public interest in any one suicide to outweigh a family's privacy or the risk of inspiring others to suicide, which is widely believed to occur.

sometimes a family will come forward and want their loved one's story told in some way believing it has larger resonance that could be helpful for others; a battle with addiction, for instance. In those cases we may write on it on a case-by-case basis.

But again, these are rare. The vast majority of suicides are not reported at all and if media even learns about it, it looks to avoid covering them.

 

[Greenberg]

For the most part, media does not report suicides. I work in media. I have gone to report on scenes including a train hitting and killing a pedestrian, and as soon as we received informsriknto show it was a suicide we stopped reporting on it. Depending on the situation, if, say, we'd already reported a body was found in a park or something, we'll just make a very small, low-key update and simply say "foul play is not suspected" or something similar.

The exceptions are if the death was highly public in some way (for instance, a video that went viral); if there is a broader public health relevance (for instance, reporting on a large number of suicides in one small community or suicides linked to lockdown isolation), or if there is something otherwise noteworthy about it that makes it publicly relevant, such as the suicide of a child in care.

In those cases, family consent and participation is certainly valued and may increase the chances a particular suicide is discussed, as well as the personal details involved.

It is not necessary to have family consent to report on a suicide or anything else, but many reporters looking at these angles will generally want to respect the family and their wishes unless there's a truly compelling need that one story needs to be made public. The suicide of a child in state care, for instance, may likely reported by other authorities and watchdogs and by media regardless of whether the family consents.

It is also not necessary to have police consent. Or anyone else. We don't need permission to report things if we believe it's in the public interest, and no families can't sue us for reporting facts; what we do is weigh whether the public interest (and "interest" here means "for the public good," not interest as in clicks) is enough to justify how we report it, and usually there's not enough public interest in any one suicide to outweigh a family's privacy or the risk of inspiring others to suicide, which is widely believed to occur.

sometimes a family will come forward and want their loved one's story told in some way believing it has larger resonance that could be helpful for others; a battle with addiction, for instance. In those cases we may write on it on a case-by-case basis.

But again, these are rare. The vast majority of suicides are not reported at all and if media even learns about it, it looks to avoid covering them.

Just to clarify when you mention reporting, it excludes any vivid or explicit videos or photos of the deceased?

Your post clearly explains media policies and procedures well. Thank you.

 

[Snowdrifts1212]

Just to clarify when you mention reporting, it excludes any vivid or explicit videos or photos of the deceased?

Your post clearly explains media policies and procedures well. Thank you.

Any reputable news outlet will not print explicit photos, no.

 

[Antigonish]

I'm pretty sure the relatives get the full say, unless you leave behind a will stating otherwise.

 

[Snowdrifts1212]

I should add: part of the reason we don't report suicides as part of regular news (without compelling public interest or unavoidable need for coverage, as in a highly public death or a celebrity death) is due to general ethical guidelines that show reporting suicides can trigger copycat behaviour. There's been lots written on this online if you Google media ethics on reporting suicide.

 

[mikenoir]

What if you leave a note, "I do not want to be featured in the news. Any failure to comply with my last wish ought to bring shame upon the misdoers and should be considered an unfathomable disservice to both me and my family, the latter of whom deserve better than being made the subject of petty gossip, or else the recipients of unwanted attention in connection to my actions"?

 

[Greenberg]

"...and any attempt to disregard my final wish shall result in legal action through my estate to the fullest extent of the law."

Coming from the States, I just had to add that! LOL

 

[laserfocus111]

If it is committed in a hotel, it is pretty safe that there would be no mention of it in the press so as not to dissuade customers from the business. Plus, they have strict and discreet protocols to handle situations like that. Whereas in a public place (roads, bridges, buildings), anyone can take photos or film you without permission.

Hi Greenberg,


What about suicide cases involving people with court cases? Will these cases be considered high profile enough for the press to report?

 

[Greenberg]

Hi Greenberg,


What about suicide cases involving people with court cases? Will these cases be considered high profile enough for the press to report?

I guess it all depends on how high profile the court case is, and whether the disclosure is to the public interest, as per guidance from @Snowdrifts1212. Best regards!

 

[BehindTheWall]

My best friend ctb on May. He was into his house and no media talk about it. I think it happens only when someone is found dead in a public place, like a forest, a park or else...
Or if it's include someone else.

 

[Snowdrifts1212]

Hi Greenberg,


What about suicide cases involving people with court cases? Will these cases be considered high profile enough for the press to report?

it depends on the case. I know of a situation where a witness in a very high profile (to the area) case killed themselves and left a note blaming the investigation — that was obviously covered. If it's just someone in divorce court or a low-profile civil suit? Almost certainly not. If it's someone in a low-profile case who is in state custody, perhaps, because suicides in state care are inherently more notable, but even then most prison suicides aren't covered at all.